5 ms·

Seems hard to imagine it's beneficial for the kids other than in situations where there are fewer germs outside but as cultural idiosyncracies go it makes a lot

Seems hard to imagine it's beneficial for the kids other than in situations where there are fewer germs outside but as cultural idiosyncracies go it makes a lot more sense to me than the fear of sleeping with a running fan in Korea. In Germany there's an obsession with stale air in rooms, during the day you "auslueft" the room but when you're in the room you close the windows and doors to prevent uncomfortable or even unhealthy drafts. Irrational health beliefs are very stubborn, like many Germans my mom and her sisters believe that sitting on a cold surface can lead to bladder infections, here in the US nobody seems to know about this.

TeMPOraL 14y ago
> or even unhealthy drafts. I'm pretty sure there is no such thing. (unfortunately, most people I know not only believe in it, but are also afraid of such drafts; the result is that, for example, I find it uncomfortable to work in any office because of stale air most of them accumulate throughout the day).
- deleted 14y ago
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- goblin89 14y ago
  Drafts often seem to make my head dizzy, much worse if I nap. No such problem with windy open air, though. I wonder why.
LarrySDonald 14y ago
Having someone visiting from Africa, there is apparently the inverse belief in some areas (sitting on a too-warm surface causes bladder infections/UTIs). There is definitely a European obsession with "fresh air". I'm not sure how warranted it is, I think most people (if being honest) agree that it's more of a "Ok, time out - I want to go somewhere quiet because this situation is wearing me down" and wanting "fresh air" is a good reason if you don't smoke and don't have a dog.
skurmedel 14y ago
But stale is really annoying. I get an head ache if the air is poorly circulated.
rayiner 14y ago
My wife lived in Germany after HS and remarked that her physician host father would always tell her she was going to catch a cold because she wasn't keeping her kidneys warm.

TeMPOraL 14y ago

> or even unhealthy drafts. I'm pretty sure there is no such thing. (unfortunately, most people I know not only believe in it, but are also afraid of such drafts; the result is that, for example, I find it uncomfortable to work in any office because of stale air most of them accumulate throughout the day).

deleted 14y ago
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goblin89 14y ago
Drafts often seem to make my head dizzy, much worse if I nap. No such problem with windy open air, though. I wonder why.

LarrySDonald 14y ago

Having someone visiting from Africa, there is apparently the inverse belief in some areas (sitting on a too-warm surface causes bladder infections/UTIs). There is definitely a European obsession with "fresh air". I'm not sure how warranted it is, I think most people (if being honest) agree that it's more of a "Ok, time out - I want to go somewhere quiet because this situation is wearing me down" and wanting "fresh air" is a good reason if you don't smoke and don't have a dog.

skurmedel 14y ago

But stale is really annoying. I get an head ache if the air is poorly circulated.

rayiner 14y ago

My wife lived in Germany after HS and remarked that her physician host father would always tell her she was going to catch a cold because she wasn't keeping her kidneys warm.